The globe puzzles previously disclosed were generally directed to jigsaw puzzles having interlocking puzzle pieces. The puzzle pieces further included mechanical fasteners for removably securing the pieces to the globe surface. Frequently, a guide fixed to the puzzle piece was adapted for securement within a slot on the globe surface or a peg projecting from a puzzle piece was intended for accommodation within a socket formed in the globe surface. Some of those globe puzzles are typically shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,957,251 and 2,987,318.
An inherent defect of those spherical puzzles was that they were designed solely to accommodate interfitting jigsaw puzzle pieces for forming a mosaic pattern. Consequently, with repeated usage the challenge of correctly assembling the puzzle was diminished. Another shortcoming of those global puzzles was that each puzzle piece required a fastener component which added to the expense of manufacture.
Other spherical puzzles utilized permanent magnets in place of fastener devices to hold the puzzle pieces, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,618,955 and 3,865,382. Those devices employed permanent magnets attached to the puzzle piece or otherwise permanently magnetized the puzzle piece for attraction to a spherical base. A disadvantage of that arrangement was that the relatively small puzzle pieces would frequently lose their magnetism after a period of usage. Furthermore, the method of play of those puzzles was directed to a single solution requiring an assembly of interfitting puzzle pieces and did not provide a game of skill using shiftably movable components.
Although the concept of a three dimensional puzzle having shiftable components was, for example, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,667, that device was dependent upon an internal structural mechanism for providing pivotal movement about three axes and was not directed to slidable surface movement as in the present invention.